DENVER — Results from the newly released Point-in-Time (PIT) Count show Denver's unhoused population has grown, but fewer people are sleeping on the streets compared to one year ago.
The report showed the number of people experiencing homelessness across the Denver metro hit a record high of 9,977 people, up from 9,065 in 2023. The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) counted the most unhoused people in the City and County of Denver with 6,539, up from 5,818 last year.
This year's PIT count took place across Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson counties from sundown on Jan. 22 to sundown on Jan. 23.
"Yes, we no longer have the encampments downtown, but that does not mean that there are less homeless," said advocate Amy Beck with Together Denver.
The survey revealed Denver has seen improvements in its homelessness crisis, including an 83% drop in families living on the streets, a 23% dip in people living in tents and cars and an 11% decrease in the total number of people living outside.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston celebrated the results, saying in a statement, "We have always believed that homelessness is a solvable problem, and now we have the data to prove it."
The annual snapshot left out the nearly 43,000 people who arrived in Denver from across the southern border, among other individuals.
"People that are couch surfing, that are living with a neighbor or a friend or a family member," explained Beck.
Cathy Alderman with Colorado Coalition for the Homeless said while there has been progress in the homelessness crisis, it's not enough.
"I truly believe that initiative has saved lives but we can't stop there," she said, referring to Johnston's All In Mile High initiative.
According to the All In Mile High dashboard, as of July 15, 1,673 unhoused people have been moved indoors under the Johnston administration. Forty-one percent (686 people) have been in a shelter for 30+ days, while 35% (583 people) have found permanent housing. The dashboard shows 11% (192 people) are "no longer indoors."
The part of the report that stood out the most to Alderman was the number of families in the Denver metro area that are experiencing homelessness, which jumped from 2,101 in 2023 to 3,136 in 2024.
"The impact on children of an experience of homelessness is really difficult, and the kids will carry that trauma with them throughout their life," explained Alderman.
Alderman believes it will all come down to affordable housing and creating enough space at the right price to prevent homelessness.
"We've got to have housing for them to get into, or these shelter systems, whatever they may be, bottleneck, right? And then we just don't see movement out of homelessness. We just see it being managed," she said.
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